Neighbors
by Meyneth24
Summary: New world, AU. All was well in the Villiers residence. Serah was married to Snow, had a kid, and a nice job as a teacher. Things are changing though, as a new arrival causes various Shenanigans. Established Snerah, but other then that Gen.
1. Cookies

**A/N I want to apologize for how badly I write kids.**

* * *

"Are they done yet Mom?" A young boy asked as he looked through the oven at the baking goods. He practically bounced up and down with excitement, his mom made the best cookies! His mother walked over to him from the pantry.

"Remember Noel," His mom said as she eyed the cookies, "Half of them are for the new neighbours. We want to give them a Villiers welcome, right?"

"Yeah!," Noel replied, "I wonder if they have any kids that I can play with?"

"Maybe," She paused looking thoughtful, "Why don't you go tell your dad that the cookies are almost done?" Her son jumped up and ran out of the kitchen.

It had been ten years since everything happened, since the old world ended and this new one started. Serah had wasted no time in tracking down everyone, Her sister, Hope, Fang, Vanille, Sazh and his boy, Dajh, and of course her hero, Snow! They also wasted no time getting married. Granted they were unable to find her friend Noel, as well as Yeul. That was until she had a baby who looked just like her old friend sans the hair which was now blond. He must have gotten that from Snow. It was a little weird to give birth to an old friend, but her and Snow had decided to give him the best childhood they could.

Serah was jolted out of her thoughts by the bleeping of the oven. She pulled out the cookies and saw that Noel was right beside her. Snow was standing in kitchen doorway eyes looked on the cookies. She laughed.

"You two both get one Each!" She proclaimed and she dived the cookies onto two plates. Noel reached up and basically Shoved the whole thing into his mouth. Snow was bit more Graceful then his son, but he still had crumbs all over his face.

"These are the best cookies Mom!" Noel stated, his mouth still full of the baked goods.

"He's right you know!" Snow had finished his, but was still dirty. Serah walked over to Snow and wiped the crumbs of his face and planted a kiss on his lips.

"Noel why don't you take the cookies over to our new neighbours? They cookies should be shared." Snow picked up one of the plates and handed it to the kid. Noel gingerly took the plate and walked over to the house door. In a second, he was gone.

It a few minutes before Noel Returned without the plate.

"How was it?" Snow Asked as he washed some of dishes that were involved in the cookie making.

"It's Great!," Noel said,"There's a kid around my age, she a little younger though."

"How about her parents?" Snow Asked

"Oh, She's only got one," Noel Paused, "Her father, He was unpacking when I came over so we didn't really talk. He said that he wanted to meet his neighbours and he'll bring the plate back later tonight."

"Alright," Show placed the last dish in the washing machine and turned to face his son. "Why don't you go upstairs and read that book?" Said book was assigned to him by the school was it really wasn't catching his attention. But homework was homework and the eight year old mopped up to his room.

Night came, and around ten PM there was a knock at their door. Snow and Serah walked over to front door. They opened it and both Gasped.

Standing before them, in casual clothes, was none other than their old enemy Caius Ballad.


	2. Moving

**A/n Maybe someday I'll update at decent place.**

* * *

 _Tick tock_

It was sunny, how could it be sunny? Caius gripped his knee tighter, these things weren't supposed to happen. They Happened but to him. Not to _them._ He had dinner with them Yesterday! They were fine, they were both fine. These thoughts ran though his thoughts again and again. He had known Grace since they were in preschool, and she was like a sister to him. Nick was close as well, he had met him five years ago and he was fine! She was fine! His mind continued to race.

 _Ticktockticktockticktockticktockticktock_

The sun seemed to shine brighter though the window. The mood in the room seemed to darken.

"Ahem" The Lawyer finally spoke up. "The will states that the Nsus would like for you to take their daughter as her legal guardian"

Caius's mouth felt dry. He shouldn't be surprised. Grace's family had disowned her when she married Nick. Nick's only living family was his grandmother and she was in a home.

"Surely there must be someone else? Someone who has experience, someone who's married?" He had a stable job, and no criminal record, but was he really ready to raise a kid?

"I don't know the situation of the Nsus, I only know what they wrote." The Lawyer looked him straight in the eyes. "You don't have to take Yeul, we can put her in the system. A young girl will have no problem getting adot-"

"Yes," Caius's mouth moved without him thinking. "It is the least I could do for my friends."

"Very well, we'll start the paper work immediately."

* * *

Yeul was sitting at the dinner table

"Dad," She glared at Caius. "Where's my mom?" Caius stopped chopping the onions. And turned. Cheese and crackers he was praying that this day would never come. He knew it was going to happen. They didn't look that much alike, and all the other kids had two parents. He sighed and turned towards her.

"Why did this come up?"

"Kelly was talking about how her mom was having another kid," _oh no_ he could see where that was going. "And I told her that I came from you. She then said that only moms can have babies. She where's the mom that made me?"

"Well you did come from a woman," Caius was dreaming this. "Let's go upstairs"

Caius walked into the storage room. He pulled open the drawer that contained the photo of Grace and Nick on their wedding day. Yeul didn't say anything. The Mood that her father was in was pulling her down. They rarely went into the storage room. No reason too.

Caius kneeled down before her, holding out the photo.

"The women is Grace, She's your mom, and this is Nick." He pointed at both them. "He's your Dad."

"Where are they?"

"They're in a better place, but they had to leave." Caius paused, "I was tasked with taking care of you, you have always been my child." He rushed the words. Nervousness coursed through him.

"So, you adopted me?" She didn't seem to be mad.

"I am your legal guardian, so yes."

"Okay, can I go back to coloring now?"

"Sure kiddo."

He smiled

* * *

He knew he should have said no. He should have stated in Crystal Cove. Yeul would have to make new friends. They would have to find a good house that didn't cost too much or was too far from the new branch. But the promotion was too good and pay was even better. Besides the boss would get mad at him and she might fire him. He could not risk losing his job, not with Yeul to look after.

He placed the box on the floor. Yeul was up in what was to be her room unpacking the boxes that had her things in them. He peered at the writing on the side. _Smart books._ Despite his grumpy move he smiled. Yuel always call his accounting and econ textbooks smart people books. She demanded that he label the box that.

He lifted the box and headed towards the room that was destined to become his study. A knock echoed on the front door.

"I've got it!" Yeul yelled as he heard her footsteps on the wood floor. Caius stayed in view of the door as she opened it. Upon seeing a young boy, he continued carrying the box full of books.

Returning to the living room Caius noticed that a plate of cookies had been placed on the table. Yeul was sitting to the side and munching on one.

"Who brought the cookies?" Caius picked one up and looked at it.

"The people who live in the house across the street." Yeul said "his name is Noel he looks to be around the same age as me."

"Hopefully you'll be able to be friends with him." Caius took a bit of the cookie. "That looks like a nice plate,"

"Yeah I said I'd return it." Yeul had finished her first cookie as was going for a second.

"Oh no," Caius said as Yeul stopped, "It's almost your bed time. You're not having another until tomorrow. I'll put the cookies on one of our plates and return the other one. Okay?" Yeul nodded.

"Now let's finish unpacking"

* * *

Caius would be the first to amity that he wasn't the best with new people. Sure, he could do small talk at the office, but making friends was hard. _Come on Caius_ he told himself. _Just hand them the plate, say thanks and try to not make then nervous._ Sometimes people got weirded out by him. Mainly because of the who inheriting a kid thing. People started to treat him differently because of that. He stood at the door and did the only thing he could.

He knocked.

The door opened to reveal a large man and a Relatively small woman. These must have been Noel's parents. He held up the plate.

"I just wanted to-," He trailed off. They both had looks of terror on their faces. A little bit of confusion seemed to be mixed in as well.

They broke out of their stun and both reached for the doorknob. Fumbling over each other to close the door. Caius was confused. He had never seen these two in his life. The only person that really hated him was Marta from the PTA. She made the worst brownies anyway. And she was halfway across the country and all of her family was close to her. What had he down to terrify these two? Sure, he was big, but blondie was bigger than him!

"Ahem," Caius adjusted the plate so it was closer to them. They stopped scrambling and looked at him.

"Thank you for the cookies," They had stopped reaching for the doorknob. "This looks like a fine plate and I wanted to return it. My Daughter said she would but it's past her bed time." He waited.

"So that makes you," The woman looked at him, she still looked a little shaky, "Our neighbor,"

Caius nodded and pointed to his house.

"Me and my Daughter live right over there. She needs new friends here and I hope that your son could be one."

"Yeah," The large guy spoke, "That would be cool." He reached out and took the plate.

"Speaking of our son," The woman looked much calmer now. But there was still a hint of _something_ in her voice. "We have to go and check on him,"

Caius nodded and turned to walk away. He heard the door close and the sounds of conversation though they were muffled.

 _That could have gone better._


	3. Across the Street

"He's alive!? And He's your next-door neighbor?!"

"Well technically he's across the street from us." Serah Sighed and adjusted the grip on the phone. "He seems harmless enough, and doesn't remember anything."

"Harmless?" Lightning seemed to have a calm voice, but Serah could tell that she was far from calm. "He did try to kill you, many times if I'm remembering correctly? As well as Noel who is your son now! He also caused the end of the World! An-"

"Alight!" Serah interrupted, she was quite sure that Lighting could go on for hours about various things that Caius Ballad had done to the world. "But he has no reason too!"

"Why not?!" Lightening demanded.

"Because Yeul's alive!" Lightening fell silent.

"She was his reason for fighting." Serah continued "I know that he mentioned her quite a few times to me, and I bet that you had heard about her too." Serah could basically see Lightings Gears turning. Which was quite the feat considering that she was miles away.

"You don't have to move," Lightning decided to kill that train of thought herself. "On one condition." Serah felt her heart drop. What if it was something Crazy? Lightning was sometimes crazy.

"I'm coming over." Serah let out her breath. "Don't invite or see him until I'm there"

"Light I don't need a baby sitter, but sure, if it makes you feel better." Once Lightning realized that Caius wasn't a threat she would relax.

* * *

DING DONG DING DONG

"I've got it!" Noel was running down the hallway before Serah or snow could even react. He pulled the door open to reveal Serah's older sister. "Auntie Lightning!" He reached out and hugged her legs.

"Hello Noel," Lightning wasn't going to lie, she wasn't the best with kids. How many times did she tell him to just call her aunt? "How are you?"

"I'm good! We made cookies yesterday but they're all gone now!" His faced darkened "We didn't save any for you, sorry."

"It's okay," Lightning felt the tug of a smile on her face. "I didn't even know I was coming until late last night."

"Yeah, Mom didn't tell me that you were coming until this morning! I'm just glad that it a Saturday!" His face light back up. "So, I get to see you more Auntie Light!"

Lightning looked up from Noel to see Serah approaching.

"Light!" Serah puller her into a hug "It's great to see you!" Thank goodness Lighting thought. Someone that she could talk with normally and didn't have to be as careful with her. Not that Lighting would like to hurt Serah. Quite the opposite, she came all this way just to make sure that Serah was okay. All that way was a mere twenty miles away.

* * *

"Are you sure?" Serah asked. Odd that after all this time she was nervous about what lighting would do. She didn't want her to go to jail, or get punched back. Granted if she got punched back She was going to have to move if that happened. She really liked her house two. Leaving Noel with Snow, they had journeyed all the way across the street to see Lightning old arch nemesis.

"Remember what I said," Serah turned towards Light, "No Punching, and try not to swear him out either."

"Unless he punches first"

"Only if he punches first."

"Ready" Serah asked.

"Always," Serah raised her hand and banged it against the door.

"One Second!" a deep voice replied from the house. Lightning visually stiffened almost like she was going into a fight stance.

The door was pulled open and Caius Balled stood before them.

"Ah Miss Villers," Caius smiled at her. "Here I was worried that it was another sales man trying to sell Vacuums. Don't mess this up Caius, he thought to himself. He might have Done something wrong last night but he was going to make friends!

"Who is this with you?" Just be polite, he told himself.

"This is my sister lightning," Serah gestured at her now shaking sister.

"Is she okay?" Should I have offered my hand to her? You can shake hands with friends, right? He really needed to make more friends. "Do you want to come in?"

"Oh She's fine, She just has a job interview tomorrow." She cast a glance at her sister. "We just wanted to see if Yeul could come over to play with Noel."

"I see, let me get her. I'm sure she'll be delighted." With that Caius disappeared back into his house.

"Are you okay?" Serah asked.

"Yeah," Lightning unballed her fists. She didn't even notice that she was clenching them. "It's just weird. We were fighting to the death but now he's not." Serah nodded.

"We were all fighting before." She paused "But we don't have to anymore." Lightning didn't get a chance to reply as the door opened. Yeul ran out holding a small bag.

"Don't run across the street!" Caius yelled. "At least look both way first." He mumbled that last part.

Caius was about to turn back to face the sisters when his phone started ringing. He glanced at the number. He sighed.

"It's from my work, I have to take this." He turned back to sisters. "I'll be here the whole day, Bring her back before eight pm alright?"

"Don't worry!" Serah relied as she started to walk away, pulling Lightning away with her. Caius nodded and shut the door behind him.

"That wasn't so bad?" Serah grinned. no punching!

"Yeah."

 **A/N Hey Guys I haven't forgotten about this fic!**


End file.
